The present invention relates to browser-based email systems.
Email systems facilitate the exchange of electronic mail over a network, such as a LAN (local area network), WAN (wide area network), or public network (e.g., Internet). Most people are familiar with traditional computer email systems, which are constructed on a client-server model. The email system involves a server-based mail program residing on the server computer to manage the exchange of email messages over one or more networks and a client-based mail program residing on the client to implement a mailbox that receives and holds the email messages for a user. The client-based mail program also implements a graphical user interface that enables the user to open and read mail, or to create new mail messages.
To support the client-based mail program, the traditional computer email systems assume that the clients are full functioning general-purpose computers with their own operating system, processing resources, memory resources, and so forth. Examples of such clients include workstations, desktop computers, laptops, and the like.
With the advent of alternative client products having limited processing capabilities and memory, more server centric email systems have evolved that rely on the Internet and the World Wide Web (Web) as the delivery vehicle. These scaled down or xe2x80x9cthinxe2x80x9d clients are typically constructed with just enough functionality to enable access to the server computer over a network. The thin client commonly implements a browser, but does not have the ability to execute other application programs, such as traditional client-based mail programs.
Examples of thin clients include low cost computers known as xe2x80x9cnetwork computersxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cNCsxe2x80x9d and television set-top boxes (STBs). NCs and STBs provide limited local processing, but are primarily reliant on the server for most processing.
Browser-based email systems are well suited for thin clients. The client mailbox is maintained at a server and the client accesses the mailbox using standard Web protocol, such as HTTP (hypertext transport protocol). The server serves images of the mailbox and opened mail messages as standard pages written in a markup language, such as HTML (hypertext markup language). The client browser renders the pages so that the user perceives a full functioning email system.
This invention is directed to improving browser-based email systems.
This invention concerns a browser-based email system having a thin client connected to a host mail server. The thin client implements a browser. The host mail server provides pages to the thin client, which can be rendered by the browser to present an email service to a user. One page contains a mail message screen that allows a user to construct an email message.
According to one aspect of the invention, the email system allows the thin client to capture audio and video data for inclusion with the email message. The thin client is equipped with a microphone and video input to receive audio and video data. The client browser supports a user interface that includes pop-up capture panels for both audio and video, with each capture panel enabling the user to record a selected clip and add the clip to the email message. The captured data clip is stored locally at the client.
After a data stream is captured, the browser submits a request to the host mail server that contains a token in lieu of the data clip. The host mail server returns a response specifying a new page that contains the email message. The response also includes the token and indicates a location in the new page at which the audio or video data is to be rendered. Upon receiving the response, the browser inserts the audio or video data into the new page at the location and renders the new page.
After the user has reviewed the email message, the user can click a xe2x80x9cSendxe2x80x9d link on the rendered email page to send the email message to an intended recipient. Upon activation of the xe2x80x9cSendxe2x80x9d link, the browser submits another request to the host mail server that contains both the email message and the audio or video data. Upon receiving this second request, the host mail server converts the email message and the audio or video data to a MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) message and forwards the MIME message to the intended recipient, where it can be rendered in full.